The Young Master's Stand-in Little White Rabbit Ran Away - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: I’m Scared

“Ask the piano teacher if he has any dietary restrictions,” Qi Jinnan said as he took off his coat. Just as he was about to hang it up, Shen Nian came pattering over in his slippers, took the coat, and stood on tiptoes to hang it on the rack.

“I’ll ask… Teacher…” Shen Nian’s rabbit ears twitched as he reluctantly approached Wen Yu. “Teacher, do you have any dietary restrictions?”

Wen Yu smiled gently, “No, I haven’t tried Nian Nian’s cooking yet. May I watch?”

Shen Nian fiddled with his shirt hem, unsure how to refuse. Qi Jinnan then spoke up, “Xiao Yu, sit on the sofa. We don’t let guests into the kitchen.”

“Alright,” Wen Yu nodded and sat on the sofa, picking up a magazine.

Shen Nian felt relieved that the terrifying piano teacher was finally at a distance.

“I’ll be working in the study. Call me when the food is ready,” Qi Jinnan said, taking some documents upstairs.

“Yes, Sir,” Shen Nian obediently replied before rushing to the kitchen to cook.

Shortly after the study door closed, Wen Yu entered the kitchen.

Shen Nian was skillfully chopping vegetables, a radish in one hand and a knife in the other.

“Shen Nian.”

Startled by Wen Yu’s voice, Shen Nian almost dropped the knife. He turned to see Wen Yu maliciously eyeing him while holding a plate of tomatoes.

“Hello, Teacher…” Shen Nian stammered, his body trembling uncontrollably. Wen Yu often pricked him with needles, and this had become an involuntary response.

Wen Yu sneered, “What are you afraid of? Keep cooking. Or do you want Mr. Qi to go hungry?”

Shen Nian bit his lip, thinking of Qi Jinnan’s uneaten meal, and tried to overcome his fear to continue cooking.

Wen Yu casually ate some tomatoes, looking around the luxurious kitchen with a determined glint in his eyes.

“You’re so lucky, being kept by Mr. Qi, living in this big villa. Of course he treats you well, since he’s keeping you. But I don’t mind, because eventually all this will be mine.”

Shen Nian didn’t understand what “being kept” meant or Wen Yu’s implications, but he knew from the tone that he was being insulted. He remained silent, focusing on his task.

Seeing no response, Wen Yu grabbed Shen Nian’s hand, “I’m talking to you! What’s with your attitude?!”

The sudden pull caused the knife to slip, cutting a large gash on Shen Nian’s hand. Blood gushed out, splattering on the floor.

Shen Nian’s rabbit ears curled in fear, “My hand… it’s bleeding…”

“You lunatic, you did it to yourself. Stop acting pitiful,” Wen Yu panicked momentarily, then deliberately smashed the plate on the ground, scattering tomatoes and ruining Shen Nian’s chopped vegetables.

Shen Nian hurriedly crouched to pick up the tomatoes. Suddenly, a foot stomped on his hand, driving broken ceramic shards into his flesh. Before he could react, pain flooded in.

“It hurts, Nian Nian hurts so much… I’m sorry, Teacher. I was wrong. Please lift your foot,” Shen Nian pleaded, his lips pale with pain. Blood and tomato juice mixed, becoming indistinguishable.

Wen Yu lifted his foot and looked down haughtily at Shen Nian. “When Mr. Qi comes, you’ll say you accidentally broke the plate and cut your hand while picking it up. Understood?”

Shen Nian nodded, teary-eyed, clutching his hand. “I-I understand.”

Wen Yu snorted, “Don’t mess up, or you’ll regret it!”

Just then, Qi Jinnan came downstairs, having heard the commotion.

Panicked, Wen Yu quickly helped Shen Nian up, noticing blood on his own foot. He stepped in the spilled tomatoes to mix it with the blood.

Qi Jinnan arrived at the kitchen door, his pupils constricting at the sight of Shen Nian’s bleeding hand. His expression grew tense, “What happened?”

Seeing Qi Jinnan, Shen Nian immediately rushed into his arms, sobbing incoherently for a long time without uttering a complete sentence.

At this point, Wen Yu stepped forward to explain the situation. Qi Jinnan couldn’t help but pat Shen Nian’s back, gently comforting him, “There, there, don’t cry. We’ll have a doctor come to bandage you soon.”

Shen Nian, with reddened eyes, had large tears rolling down his cheeks. His rabbit ears were still erect and tense from the intense pain earlier.

“Sir…”

“Shen Nian, crying should have its limits.” Qi Jinnan’s face darkened. His patience was wearing thin; the constant crying made Shen Nian unlike that person.

Shen Nian hurriedly wiped away his tears, not daring to speak anymore, just obediently lowering his ears.

Qi Jinnan gently pushed him away and turned to Wen Yu with a somewhat apologetic tone, “I’m sorry, I was supposed to treat you to a meal today, but it seems difficult now. Consider this meal as a debt I owe you. I’ll treat you next time.”

Hearing this, Wen Yu understood that Qi Jinnan was politely asking him to leave. He smiled awkwardly, “It’s alright, Mr. Qi. I see Nian Nian’s injury is quite serious. You should take him to see a doctor first.”

“Alright, sorry for your wasted trip. I’ve already called a car for you.”

With that, Wen Yu hastily left the villa.

Seeing the door finally close, Shen Nian’s bristled rabbit ears gradually relaxed their vigilance. He held his injured hand, occasionally whimpering in pain, but otherwise remained silent.

Qi Jinnan called for the family doctor, then led Shen Nian to the bathroom. “You’re all dirty. Take a bath first, just be careful not to wet the wound.”

Shen Nian nodded obediently. As they entered the bathroom, Qi Jinnan took out a pair of tweezers.

“Come, give me your hand.” Qi Jinnan rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular forearms, and placed iodine on the washstand. The cold white light gave his stern face a blurred gentleness.

Shen Nian extended his hand, which Qi Jinnan held gently.

Lowering his gaze, remembering what Wen Yu had said to him earlier, Shen Nian couldn’t help but ask, “Sir, why are you so good to me?”

Qi Jinnan looked up, staring at Shen Nian’s face in slight bewilderment, then averted his gaze and replied calmly, “There’s no particular reason. Just study the piano well, and I can be even better to you.”

The mere thought of continuing piano lessons made Shen Nian feel as if his whole body was being pricked by needles, intensifying the pain in his hand.

If only he could change piano teachers… Perhaps he could ask Sir…

Shen Nian carefully glanced at Qi Jinnan, then after a while, mumbled, “Sir, can Nian Nian change to a different piano teacher?”

Hearing this, Qi Jinnan’s face darkened. “Are you making up excuses because you don’t want to learn the piano?”

Shen Nian looked at Qi Jinnan helplessly, his soft voice tinged with tears, “No, I’m scared… I’ll study piano diligently, I’m just scared… Wuu wuu wuu…”